Rathlin Island (1847)

I haven’t slept since Wednesday evening
There is no sleep with all this grieving
No music here where once was singing
Where once was singing

We are like ghosts here on Rathlin Island
All fleshless bone, all shamed and silent
Our feet are stone where once was dancing
Where once was dancing

Sail away, love, from the island
Sail out on the sea
Turn a blue eye back on Rathlin
An baile I mo chroí

The waves are pounding Slough na Morra
Hundreds will sail, hundreds left mourning
We will look back, beimid ar marthan
Beimid ar marthan

Ochon is ochon, the hills are wailing
Carve our names in Clogh na Screeve
Ochon is ochon, the ship is sailing
In ainm Dé, in ainm Dé a rachfaimid

Today I walk Raghery’s headland
The welcome is warm here on the island
Seventy strong, it’s hard to leave them
It’s hard to leave them